Visa trouble a factor in Hawks' loss in NWL Championship Series

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BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) - After winning game one of the Northwest League Championship Series against Vancouver, visa trouble left the Boise Hawks hamstrung, five of their players weren't able to trek north of the border.

"It kind of hurt us a little bit, we didn't get to travel a couple of our big key guys like shortstop [Carlos Penalver], and the guy that hits in front of me or behind me all year,[Yasiel Balaguert], who drove in the most runs on our team, so that's a big factor right there," said Hawks third baseman Jacob Rogers.

"I tell you what, they're a different team at home, they proved that over the regular season. In the playoffs, I think they are undefeated anytime they get a chance to play at home. It's just a tremendous atmosphere, it's a packed house, definitely a home field advantage," added Hawks Manager Gary Van Tol.

Monday's loss made Boise the Northwest League runner-up for the second-straight season. It was their second-straight loss to Vancouver Canadians.

That being said, Gary Van Tol told KBOI 2 Sports his young team learned a lot from this season, and after all that's the role of a minor league team.